shenstone



F. B. SHENSTONE.

EMPLOYEES TIME REGISTERING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-5,1922.

1,432,627. Patented Oct. 17, 1922.

a SHEETSSHEE1 l. 45

A lnvezaizu: 717. afiell/fii'albe F. B. SHENSTONE.

EMPLOYEES TIME REGISTERING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION man MN 5. 1922.

1,432,627, I Patented Oct. 17, 1922.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

F. B. SHENSTONE. EMPLOYEES TIME REGISTERING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN- 5.1922.

Patented Oct 17,1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEE1 3.

Patented Oct. 17, 1922.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK BOWMAN SHENSTONE, OF SYDNEY," NEW SOUTH .WALES, AUSTRALIA.

EMPLOYEES TIME-REGISTERING APPARATUS.

Application filed January 5, 1922. Serial No. 527,261.

use in workshop systems for recording on employees job cards or work time cards the net elapsed working time between the start and the finish of one or of a series of any number of separated periods of service or workshop operations. It consists in an electrically operated and clock controlled mechanism which functions to mark such cards with a starting time and a finishing time so that the elapsed time ascertained by merely subtracting the one figure from the other will be the actual working time. A progressive time stamping device or any number of such devices wired in parallel is automatically out into an operating electrical circuit by a controller only during schedule working hours and is cut out of circuit during schedule idle hours. The time is figured from a zero datum and is reckoned therefrom and marked on cards by the act of the workman in the time stamping device in hours and decimal fractions ofv an hour. By designing this stamping device with appropriate system of decimal progression printing wheels, it may be used for an accounting period of up to 1,000 hours or more, which in ordinary circumstances will suflice for a calendar period of three to six months.

By plugging in the striker pins at appropriate positions on the several discs, the apparatus may be set in accordance with any desired schedule of Working hours. Thus for instance, if 7.30 a. m. be the start hour and 4 p. m. the finish hour Mondays to Fridays, with lunch time 11.45 a. m. to 12.40 p. 1n., with Saturday finish 12 noon and Sunday no work, pins are set as follows Ou hour wheel at 0, 30, 40 and-- On day wheel at 7.30 a. m., 11.45, 12 noon, 12.40 p. In. and 4 p. In.

On week wheel at 7.30 a. m., 11:45 a. m., 12.40 p. m. and 4 p. m. on each days division of Monday to Friday, and at 7 .30 a. m. and 12 noon on Saturdays division, and no pins for Sunday.

The marking of cards so as to show actual Fig.

hours and decimal fractions of hours Worked, notwithstanding that the work carded may occupy months in progress, is convenient for workmen and for accounting staff, as at any particular moment the actual time worked on any particular job may be ascertained by merely stamping the card and subtracting the start time from the finish time thus displayed.

Inthe accompanying drawings Fig. '1 is a top plan view of the wheel train in the control device, showing the operatmg magnet which receives impulses through the clock contacts at uniform time intervals;

Fig. 2 is a semi-diagrammatic side elevational view of'the same;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevational View showing the compound pin striker wheel on the minute fraction spindle of the wheel train (Figs. 1 and 2) and touch spring contacts associated therewith, and the pin striker wheel on the day spindle of the same train, with its touch spring;

- Fig. 4 is a similar elevational view showing pin striker wheels and touch spring contacts on the hour and week spindles of the wheel train;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the on-andoif switch with its electromagnetic operating mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the same;

Fig. 7is a top plan view of the mechanism of the card stamping machine, portions of the structure being shown torn away to exhibit parts below;

I Fig. 8 is a corresponding side elevational view show-ing'the electromagnetic operating mechanism;

Fig. 9 is an elevational view of the relay;

Fig. 10 is a corresponding end elevational view;

11 is a diagrammatic plan view showing the circuits: and

Fig. 12 is a representation of a time card showing the manner in which work time is recorded thereon by the stamping machines, and indicating the manner in which the actual work time is computed irrespective of actual date of start and finish by subtracting the start figures from the finish figures.

The apparatus comprises a clock represented diagrammatically at 20, with a circuit making and breaking device 21, ar-

ranged to momentarily completethe circuit of the battery 22 at each cycle of the pendulum. This circuit energizes an electromagnet 23, which, by means of the compound pawl mechanism 24, acts on, and turns the detent wheels 25 and therninute fraction spindle 26 one revolution in each three minutes 27 being a check pawl to prevent accidental reversal of rotation of the detents 25. A pinion 28 on the spindle 26 meshes with the gear wheel 29 on the hour spindle 30 and a pinion 31 'onsaids'pin'dle meshes with the gear wheel 32 on theday spindle 3B. A pinion3i on the day spindle gears with a spur wheel 35 on the week spindle 36. The detent 25, as before stated, makes one complete rotation in three minutes, and the various wheels and pinions are proportioned so that the hour spindle 30 will make a complete rotation inone hour, the day spindle 83 a complete rotation in one day and the week spindle 36 a complete rotation in one week. The spindle 26 is extended through the frame plate 37 and carries upon it two discs 38 and 39. Similarly the spindle 30 is extended through the frame plate 40 and carries upon'it a' disc 41; the spindle is extended through the frame plate 37 and carries on it jdisc 42, and the spindle 36 is extended through the frame plate l0 and carries on it a dise43. These several discs are made of electrically insulating material or have faces of in' sulating material in order that the striker pegs fixed in them will be severally 'elec'tr'ically insulated from each other. These insulating faces of the several disc'sjare engraved as dialsand at close intervals they are perforated around the dialling "to admit the insertion of metallic striker pegs l l, all these pegs in the several discs being similar. For each of the discs a pa'ir of spring plate contacts 45 and 46, mounted on an insulating base 47, are provided. With the exception of the spring plate contacts which co act with the pegs 14 i onthe disc 88, all the contact tongues 45 and 46 are wired in serial sequence in the cir uitor a battery 48. The circuit of that battery is, therefore. completed only when each the -tour sets of springs 45 and 46 is simultaneously engaged by one of the striker pegs 4a, the circuit of the battery 48 being'idtherwise opened. The circuit of the Battery passes through an electromagnet 4:9, and the armature 50 of said electromafgnet is geared by links 51 to a twelve-toothed detent 52 on the spindle 53 of an on-a'nd-ofi rotary switch; this switch comprises a disc 54 carrying on it six striker pieces 55 engageable with the spring tongues 56 and 57 through which a circuit may be com pieted from the battery '58 to energize a relay '59. There are five pegs [44 on the minute fraction disc 88. 'As that disc rotates with the spindle 26 once in three min-- utes a contact is made through its pegs 144i and the coacting tongues 80 and 81 once in three-fifths of a minute, that is once in one-hundredth of an hour. Momentary closing of the circuit of the battery 58 therefore takes place only at one-hundredth of an hour periods, and then only when the on-and-off switch is in the on position. Through the armature 60 andcontacts 61 of the relay 59 the circuit of a battery 62 is completed through the lines 63 and 64. The electromagnets of any required number of stamping machines are wired in parallel on the lines 63 and 64:. The electromagnets 65 are arranged to actuate the decimal system of type wheels 66; these wheels are positioned to expose their faces when'in the uppermost position under the aperture 67 in the top of the casing 68 of the card stamping machines. In each of these machines an ink ribbon is provided with any known means therewith for moving the ribbon periodically to expose a fresh face over the wheel type. Above the aperture 67 a rubber faced plunger platen 70 is mounted in a bearing 71 with a lift spring 72 under its disc head 73. The cards are stamped by inserting them under the platen head 70 of the plunger "and striking the head 73, whereby the card is impressed on the face of the ribbon 69 and receives a print therefrom from the exposed type on the wheels 66. As the wheels 66 are geared in decimal sequence, the figures so obtained on the card show the factual hours and decimals of an hour, inasmuch as the progression of the wheels 66 is in decimal-hour periods, as will be hereinafter explained.

The minute fraction disc or either of the other discs, may be fitted with another set of 'contact pins on its rear side, clearance being provided for them by extending the spindle and these pins may be used to control an independent circuit to operate a time whistle, or horn or gong. to give notice to workmen of starting and stopping or changeover shift times.

The several serially arranged contacts spring and 4:6 close the circuit of thebzzttery 48 momentarily only when they are all sii'nultaheously touched by a contact peg 414-.

l/Vhen the battery 48 circuit is thus completed through the striker pegs on the four dials 39, l1, i2, 43 simultaneously a current passes momentarily to the electromagnet 49 of the on-and-offl switch 54-, bringing the on- "an'd-off switch to closed position or to open position respectively. The current circuit is completed through the spring contact tongues 80 and 81 which coact with the striker pegs 14 i on the disc 38 only when the switch 54 is in the closed position, and when it is so completed, the relay 59 is energized and the circuit of the battery 62 is closed,

and through said circuit an impulse is applied to each ofthe stamping machine mag- 'thestamping machines on the cards is therefore the time which has elapsed during the schedule of working hours, and is therefore irrespective of the dates on which the stamping of the cards is effected. The apparatus may be set up to start from zero at sign-on time on any day of the year and the time recorded on the'cards will therefore be the actual time to be charged for and'willhave no reference to the dates; the accountants figuring for the time to be charged for consisting only in subtracting the on figure from the off figure marked on the cards deliveredto him by the workmen.

In operation, the clock 20 actuates the electro-magnet 23 each second. This causes the armature to drive the train, so that the disks 39, 41, 42 and 43 are continuously driven, the disk 39 completing a revolution each three minutes, the disk 41 completing a revolution every hour, the disk 42 completing a revolution every day and the disk 43 completing a revolution each week. Each of these disks carry the strikers 44 which may be adjusted around the various disks. These strikers co-operate with the contacts 45 and 46 so that the electric circuit including the contacts 45 and 46 is adapted to be closed, for instance, on Monday morning at 8 oclock. This closing will only be momentarily and it will cause the electro-magnet 49 to move the member 54 one step, so that one of its lugs 55 will bridge the contacts 56 and '57. Then on account of the positions of the pins or strikers 54,,the circuit including the contacts 45 and 46 will be broken andthis will permit the lug 55, bridging the contacts 56 and 57, to remain in a fixed position until say 12 oclock when the lunch hour'arrives. At this time the pins 44 will reach such a position that they will again close the circuit including the contacts 45 and 46, so that the magnet 49 will be again actuated to advance the disk 54 one more step. On this movement of the member 54 a space between two of the lugs 55 will come opposite the contacts 56 and 57, so thatthese contacts will no longer be bridged and the circuit in which they are included will'be broken. This circuit will remain broken until say 1 oclock when the workmen return to their occupations. At this time the pins 44 will have assumed such position that they bridge the contacts 45 and 46 once more and consequently the circuit including the magnet 49 will be again'energized momentarily. At this momentary energization, the magnet 49 will advance the disk 54 one more .step' so that one of the lugs 55 will. be brought into a position to bridge the contacts 56 and 57 and then the circuit including these con tacts will be again closed. This operation continues for a week, a month or more, and it will be understood that the member 54 merely acts as a master switch to control the circuit containing the electro-magnet 59.

This master switch closing the circuit at the beginning of the working hour, opening the circuit at noon time, closing the circuit again at the end of the lunch hour, and again opening the circuit at the end of the working day, etc.

' Therefore, it will be understood that during working hours, the contacts 56 and 57 will be bridged and the circuit in-which they are included will be made and broken every three-fifths of a minute by means of the con tacts 80 and 81 being bridged by the pins 144, five of which are arranged at equally spaced points, on the constantly rotating disk 38, which completes a revolution every three minutes. Consequently, during work ing hours, the electro-magnet 59 will be actuated every three-fifths of a minute and this will cause the magnets 65 to be actuated every three-fifths of 1 a minute,"and these magnets will cause the operation of the counting wheels of the stamping machines, so that the counting wheels will be advanced every three-fifths of a minute.

Owing to the fact that the counting wheels are advanced every three-fifths of a minute, it will be understood that they stamp hundredths of the hour, so that if a job consumes more than. a working days time, it will be a simple matter to mentally calculate the time worked.

The whole of the electro mechanical mechanism may be operated from one battery. In the drawings, separate batteries are shown for each circuit to facilitate explanation.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. Apparatus for recording on work-shop cards the time worked, comprising members in a minute-fraction hour-day-week wheel train, strikers on said members, fixed contacts coacting with said strikers and. se

rially arranged in an electric circuitto close said circuit only whilst one striker on each member of said wheel train is simultaneously engaged with its respective contact, an

on-and-ofi switch in said circuit, a second circuit controlled by the on-and-otl switch and containing a relay, fixed contacts in the second circuit closed by strikers of the minute-fraction member of the wheel train for causing current to pass momentarily at decimal intervals of a minute through the second circuit, a circuit controlled by said relay and including electromagnetic mechanism, and a manuallyactuatable card stamping device including time unit stamping means advanced at decimal intervals ot a minute by said electromagnetic mechanism.

2.111 an apparatus as set forth in claim 1, the arrangement wherein the striker carrying members of the Wheel train are provided with strikers for starting time and other strikers for knockingoti time, whereby the on-and-ofl switch is at the closing of circuit contacts by said strikers brought to closed position and open position respectively, and timed current impulses in the relay circuit and consequent movement of the stamping device type wheels is caused to take place only during the intervals be tween starting and knock-oil? times in a predetermined schedule.

8. In apparatus as set forth in claim 1, members in the wheel train consisting of discs on the wheel, train spindles dial marked for hour fractions, hours, days, and weeks, respectively, with means for fixing electric contact making and breakingattachments thereon at predetermined places indicated by said dial markings.

a. In apparatus as set forth in claim 1, a member on the minute traction member of the wheel train carrying separate sets oi contact making and breaking attachments adapted for controlling the first and second circuits.

5. Apparatus for recording on work-shop cards the time worked, including a clock, electro-magnetic mechanism controlled by said clock, a wheel train actuated by the electromagnetic mechanism, said train be ing geared in a minute-traction, hour, day and week proportion, dial members on said train, detachable metallic striker mounted on the dial members, an electric circuit, fixed contacts forming part oi said circuit adapted to coact with said detachable striker pegs to close the circuit momentarily only whilst one striker peg on each dial member is'engaged simultaneously with. its relative fixed contact to produce a current flow at every schedule work starting time and at every schedule work stopping time, a switch controlled by said circuit, a second circuit controlled by said switch and having contacts, means. actuated by the minute fraction member of said wheel train for placing said contacts in electrical connection. at predetermined fractions of a minute, a manually actuated time stamping device having time unit stamping wheels, electromagnetic means for controlling the movement of the time stamping wheels, a third circuit in which the last mentioned electromagnetic means is arranged, a switch for making and breaking the third circuit, and an electromagnet arranged in the second circuit and controlling the last-mentioned switch.

6; The combination with a manually actuated time stamping device having time unit counting wheels, of electro-magnetic means for advancing said wheels step by step, at predetermined fractions of a minute, a circuit in which said electro-magnetic means is arranged, a switch for saidcircuit, an electro-magnet for actuating saidswitch, a second circuit containing said electromagnet, means for energizing and de-energizing the second circuit at predetermined fractions of a minute, a make and break switch in the second circuit, a control memher for the make and break switch, and time controlled means for actuating said control member at predetermined intervals whereby the control member will complete the second circuit at a predetermined time and will open said circuit at a subsequent predetermined time.

7. The combination with a manually actuated time stamping device having time stamping wheels, of electro-magnstic means for intermittently actuating said time stamping wheels at predetermined fractions of a minute, an electric circuit in which said electro-magnetic means is arranged, aswitch for making and breaking said circuit, a second circuit containing an electro-magnet ior actuating said switch, said second'circuit including a plurality! of contacts, a con tinuously operated time controlled member having strikers adapted to bridge said contacts at predetermined fractions of a min ute, a second plurality of contacts also arranged in the second circuit, and time controlled. means for bridging the second con-- tacts adapted to be actuated at predetermined times, whereby the second'circuit may be closed at a starting hour, opened at the beginning of a lunch hour, closed at the finish of the, lunch hour and again opened at work stopping time. I a c 8. In an apparatus of the class described,

clockwork, a time train controlled by said clockwork and including a series of disks, one of saiddisks being turned a complete revolution each three minutes, another one or said disks being turned a complete revolution every hour, another one of said disks being turned a complete revolution every day, and the other one of said disks being turned a complete revolution each week, strikers adjustably arranged, on said disks and adapted tobe shifted around the disks, anelectric circuit including several pairs of a time controlled mechanism including a contacts adapted to be bridged by said strikers When all of said strikers are in a predetermined position, whereby said circuit Will be closed, an electro-magnet arranged in said circuit, a switch actuated by said electro-magnet, a second circuit having a plurality of contacts adapted to be bridged by said switch, another pair of contacts in cluded in the second circuit, another disk driven by the time train and having strikers adapted to bridge the second contacts every three-fifths of a minute, an electro-magnet arranged in the second circuit, and a manually actuated time stamping device having time counting Wheels adapted to be advanced step by step, each three-fifths of a minute and controlled by the last mentioned electro-magnet.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

FRANK BOWMAN SHENSTONE. 

